HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Isaac Rodriguez drove in two runs on three hits as Southern Miss rallied from an early deficit to beat Louisiana-Monroe, 8-5, here Tuesday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.

The Golden Eagles extended their winning streak to four games to start the season and will complete a five-game homestand to open the year, Wednesday, when they entertain Alcorn State in a 4 p.m., single contest.

Tyler Koelling also added three hits for the Golden Eagles as he pushed his current hitting streak to 15 games dating back to last season. Southern Miss registered 10 hits on the day.

"Offensively, we've been putting some things together and scoring some runs," said Southern Miss coach Scott Berry. "(But) we missed on some opportunities with runners on second and third with less than two outs that we've got to get corrected."

It was the Warhawks that struck early against Southern Miss as Joey Rapp blasted a three-run homer off of Golden Eagle starter Jonathan Thompson. Rapp's first round-tripper, a three-run shot, came after singles from Les Aulds and Judd Edwards to put the visitors up 3-0 early.

Thompson, though, settled down after that allowing just one unearned run in his start that lasted six 2/3 innings. In all, he allowed just four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk to go along with six strikeouts to earn his first victory of the season.

"I was real proud of him," said Berry. "The way he came in and took the momentum back."

The Eagles, though, rallied for two runs in the bottom of the first on a groundout by B.A. Vollmuth and a sacrifice fly by Mark Ellis.

Southern Miss then took the lead for good in the second as they plated three more runs. Rodriguez started the frame with a run-scoring double, and was plated one batter later as Dillon Day's sacrifice bunt was handled by ULM starter James Jones but thrown wide allowing the run to score. Day ended up on third and was driven in on a single by Chase Fowler.

Vollmuth then extended his hitting streak to 24 games in the fourth with an RBI double to center to make the score 6-3, before Rodriguez drove home a run with a single by Day.

Day then made the most exciting play of the contest as he converted a straight steal of home to finish completing USM's scoring. It was the first straight steal of home since Drew Carson pulled off the feat against Marshall during the 2008 C-USA Tournament in New Orleans.

Jones (0-1) went four innings for the Warhawks, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts to suffer the loss.

Collin Cargill, the fourth Golden Eagle pitcher of the day, got the final out to notch his first save of the campaign.